gems-2025

Hi! My name is Bryanna Price, and I am the GEMS Lead Mentor for this year! This is my 4th year at UCF as a Mechanical Engineering major. I graduated from Fort Pierce Westwood Academy in Fort Pierce, Florida in 2022 and had the rare honor of giving a Valedictorian speech to my class. My…

My name is Ximena Martinez, I am a 2nd year Biotechnology major. I graduated from John A. Ferguson in Miami, Florida. My favorite class I have taken at UCF has been Statistics, I really enjoyed this class as it was where I first learned that math could be enjoyable, with my friends and the amazing…

Hi! My name is Hope “Woodie” Wood. I went to Melbourne High School, and I’m from Melbourne, FL. I’m a 2nd-year Mechanical Engineering major. My favorite class was Calculus 1 with the wonderful Hanna Reed! Calculus is not an easy class, but Professor Reed is so kind and willing to help with every question you…

Hello! My name is Visari Martinez and I’m a second-year Biology major on the Pre-Professional track. Originally from Miami Lakes, I graduated from Miami Lakes Educational Center (MLEC), where my passion for dentistry began. At UCF, one of my favorite classes has been Biology, taught by Professor Michele Yeargain. Her paced lectures and understanding of students…

Hi!! My name is Tanisha Gandhi, and I’m a second year Computer Science major with a Linguistics minor and a Data Science minor. I graduated from Marjory Stoneman Douglas Highschool in 2024, which is in Parkland, Florida. One of my favorite classes I’ve taken so far is American History to 1877 (AMH2010) with John Sacher. This…

Hello, my name is Sam Signorella, and I am a third-year Civil Engineering major at UCF. I graduated from Naperville Central High School which is in Naperville, Illinois about 45 minutes outside of Chicago. My favorite class so far related to civil engineering has been Statics, which was taught by Professor Ricardo Zaurin. I loved…

Hi everyone! My name is Samantha Graham, and this will be my second year at UCF as a Mechanical Engineer major. I graduated from Cutler Bay Senior High School in my hometown Miami, Florida. In general, I enjoy math for its procedural steps and predictability. So far, Calculus II has been my favorite of the…

Hi! My name is Renee Bilodeau and I’m a Biomedical Sciences major with a minor in Psychology. I am going into my second year at UCF, and I am very excited! I graduated in 2024 at St. Thomas Aquinas Highschool in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. One of my favorite classes so far was my Introduction to…

Hello! My name is Paola Munkel, and I am a fourth-year Biomedical Sciences major minoring in Medical Sociology. In 2022, I graduated from Jose Marti Mast 6-12 Academy in Hialeah, Florida. One of my favorite classes at UCF is Immunology with Professor Weigel. He is a very knowledgeable professor with the most engaging lectures and…

Hi, my name is Paige Lota, and I am a Biomedical Sciences major, and I have a minor in Business Administration. This will be my second year at UCF. I graduated from Penncrest high school in Media, Pennsylvania in 2024. My favorite class at UCF so far has been Physics. What made this class my…

My name is Miranda Valbuena, and I am a Mechanical Engineering major. This is my third year at UCF. I am from Coral Springs, Florida and in 2023, I graduated from St. Thomas Aquinas High School. My favorite classes thus far have been Calculus 1 and Statics. Calculus 1 was that first class that truly…

Hello! My name is Melania Carrigan, and I’m a Civil Engineering major entering my third year at UCF. I love going to the beach, hanging out with friends, and playing pickleball! I graduated from Creekside High School in Saint Johns, Florida, in 2023. One of my favorite classes at UCF so far has been the…

Hello! My name is Meghan Kolb, and this will be my third year as a Mechanical Engineering student. I graduated from East Lake High School Academy of Engineering in Tarpon Springs, Florida. I love going to the beach, playing soccer, and baking! Although challenging, one of my favorite classes at UCF has been Calculus 2…

Hey! My name’s Kaycie Ramsey and I’m a Mechanical Engineering major. This is my third year at UCF. I graduated from Timber Creek High School in 2023 here in Orlando, Florida. One of my favorite classes was Anthropology. I thought it was a nice change of pace at the time, and it was always full…

My name is Katie Radder, and I am an Aerospace Engineering major. This is my second year attending UCF. I graduated from First Christian Academy in 2024 in High Springs, Florida. My favorite class at UCF so far is probably the Intro to Engineering course. You get to learn a little bit about a lot…

Hi, I’m Kathlyn Buckley and I’m a sophomore Computer Science major at UCF!  I graduated from Cypress Bay High School in 2024 in my hometown of Weston, Florida. My favorite class so far at UCF is Computer Science 1! I love problem-solving and thinking critically in order to solve the various challenges this class presents,…

Hi everyone! My name is Josey Matos, and I am a third year Chemistry major with a minor in Health Sciences! In 2023, I graduated from William R. Boone High School in Orlando, Florida. My favorite class I’ve taken at UCF has been Organic Chemistry 1 with Dr. Lawrence, which could be an unpopular opinion,…

Hello, my name is Jade Parker. I am a Civil Engineering major, and this will be my third year at UCF. I am from Melbourne, Florida and I graduated from Bayside High School in May of 2023. My favorite classes were Intro to Engineering and Personal Finance and Investments. Although Intro to Engineering is not…

Hi! My name is Haley Santarelli, and I am a second-year Civil Engineering major. I graduated from North Fort Myers High School, where I majored in Theatre. I know, quite the switch from attending an arts high school to pursuing engineering. That being said my favorite classes have always been math-based, and here at UCF…

My name is Deneé Lichtenberg, and I am a Materials Science and Engineering major. This will be my 4th year at UCF. In 2022, I graduated from Astronaut High School in Titusville, Florida. One of my favorite classes at UCF was Polymer Engineering. This was a more chemistry-based engineering class, which was exciting compared to…